Bones: The First Coat is the Difference

[Wren]

I've not heard anything from Reaper or other people to suggest otherwise, but I will admit that my original experiments were done with the bendier Bones formula. While I do paint Bones occasionally for our RPG game or to test colour schemes and such, it's been a while since I had time to do that, and I haven't played around with any of the pieces done in the harder material.

You might try to ask in a separate thread here in the Bones forum to see if you get more eyes on the question from other people who've been painting their Bones. I will try to see if I can double check with someone on the Reaper side of things.

[Glitterwolf]

I've not heard anything from Reaper or other people to suggest otherwise, but I will admit that my original experiments were done with the bendier Bones formula. While I do paint Bones occasionally for our RPG game or to test colour schemes and such, it's been a while since I had time to do that, and I haven't played around with any of the pieces done in the harder material.

 

You might try to ask in a separate thread here in the Bones forum to see if you get more eyes on the question from other people who've been painting their Bones. I will try to see if I can double check with someone on the Reaper side of things.

 

I've started on the dumpster, I didn't prime or line it.

 

And It takes paint very well.

[Club]

OK, I've got a weird one.

 

Has anyone tried putting a bones mini in a vacuum chamber after priming it?  I built a 'chamber a few years ago for casting (Right before I got busy, so I've never really used it) and know that's a method for drying food. I don't want a mini to be sticky for the next year if I can avoid it, but do want to know.

[Cranky Dog]

OK, I've got a weird one.

 

Has anyone tried putting a bones mini in a vacuum chamber after priming it?  I built a 'chamber a few years ago for casting (Right before I got busy, so I've never really used it) and know that's a method for drying food. I don't want a mini to be sticky for the next year if I can avoid it, but do want to know.

Good question.

 

Now I wager that it would dry faster, but what sort of effect it would have on the overall curing is a different story since it may be the presence of water (or some humidity) that is required for good adhesion. I'm not knowledgeable enough in paint/primer chemistry for that answer.

[SamuraiJack]

the new Grey Primer from the CAV KS sticks really well.

[Caleb]

So I have been looking around and it seems like the consensus is that washing the bones and then using straight RMS HD or Reaper liner is the best option.

 

I actually tried the older red liner and was able to scrap it off relatively easily.  But regular HD paint didn't.

 

I will have to do more experiments once I get some newer brown liner that everyone seems to favor.

[ub3r_n3rd]

So I have been looking around and it seems like the consensus is that washing the bones and then using straight RMS HD or Reaper liner is the best option.

 

I actually tried the older red liner and was able to scrap it off relatively easily.  But regular HD paint didn't.

 

I will have to do more experiments once I get some newer brown liner that everyone seems to favor.

I like Brown, Blue, and Grey, all work the same.

[4tonmantis]

I've not read through everything here but I thought I would throw my experiences onto the pile.

 

I used Krylon Plasticoat (Fusion I think is the name) White and it gave me a sticky finish on some Bones. I was able to overcome that with two coats of Testors Dullcote.

I used Army Painter Green Spray Primer. That can is putting out very rough sprays on everything (not just Bones) but it was not sticky.

I don't think any of the bones in question were washed and probably had various levels of dust.

Edited April 1, 2016 by 4tonmantis

[4tonmantis]

UPDATE: I bought a can of white Tamiya Fine Surface Primer and tested it on a few Bones Gnolls unwashed. The finish appears to be smooth and free of tackiness.

[Caleb]

I did a test where I painted one bones with Reaper brown liner.  (newer bottle)  Then I did another with red RMS HD.

 

I tried the thumbnail scrap on both of them.

 

The Brown liner came off much easier than the red HD.

 

I will finish painting them and give them another fingernail test or maybe just leave them with the prepainted miniatures in the travel case.  (A fate worse than death!)

 

So far it seems like diluted vallejo acrylic varnish seems to be the best protection.  It's 100% acrylic resin so I don't know how it could react badly to anything.

 

The varnished bones pathfinder goblins are still going strong being thrown around in the travel case without any major chipping or scrapes.

[4tonmantis]

I did a test where I painted one bones with Reaper brown liner.  (newer bottle)  Then I did another with red RMS HD.

 

I tried the thumbnail scrap on both of them.

 

The Brown liner came off much easier than the red HD.

 

I will finish painting them and give them another fingernail test or maybe just leave them with the prepainted miniatures in the travel case.  (A fate worse than death!)

 

So far it seems like diluted vallejo acrylic varnish seems to be the best protection.  It's 100% acrylic resin so I don't know how it could react badly to anything.

 

The varnished bones pathfinder goblins are still going strong being thrown around in the travel case without any major chipping or scrapes.

 

Testors Dullcote hasn't reacted badly for me though I doubt it's as strong as the Vallejo varnish. I'm thinking I might pick up a bottle of that next time I'm in town and use the dullcote to flat it back out.

[spondishy]

So with the new MSP Bones paints, can these be used as a base coat airbrushed straight on or will it require thinning?

 

I

[ub3r_n3rd]

So with the new MSP Bones paints, can these be used as a base coat airbrushed straight on or will it require thinning?

 

I

All Reaper paints are pretty thin, they can be applied directly (with a paint brush) without thinning further as that's specifically what they are made for doing. For air brushing, I don't have an airbrush, but most people thin paints even more to use in their airbrush so that they don't get clogs and are able to get an even smooth coating. I also thin all my paints (even Reaper) as I like working with paints about the consistency of skim milk. It allows for better blending and transitions.

[spondishy]

 

So with the new MSP Bones paints, can these be used as a base coat airbrushed straight on or will it require thinning?

 

I

All Reaper paints are pretty thin, they can be applied directly (with a paint brush) without thinning further as that's specifically what they are made for doing. For air brushing, I don't have an airbrush, but most people thin paints even more to use in their airbrush so that they don't get clogs and are able to get an even smooth coating. I also thin all my paints (even Reaper) as I like working with paints about the consistency of skim milk. It allows for better blending and transitions.

 

 

I thought the thinning my cause beading and kind of ruin the point of using the bones paints.

[ub3r_n3rd]

 

 

So with the new MSP Bones paints, can these be used as a base coat airbrushed straight on or will it require thinning?

 

I

All Reaper paints are pretty thin, they can be applied directly (with a paint brush) without thinning further as that's specifically what they are made for doing. For air brushing, I don't have an airbrush, but most people thin paints even more to use in their airbrush so that they don't get clogs and are able to get an even smooth coating. I also thin all my paints (even Reaper) as I like working with paints about the consistency of skim milk. It allows for better blending and transitions.

 

 

I thought the thinning my cause beading and kind of ruin the point of using the bones paints.

 

For bones, I always "prime" with unthinned Reaper MSP liner, but people do thin it a bit and it does still look good and not bead up. What you need to remember is to always scrub bones figures before painting them with some warm soapy water and and old tooth brush, the best is something like Dawn dish soap where it can break up and remove grease (which is essentially what a mold release agent is like, it's meant to keep the plastic from sticking to the mold). So getting the mold release off will help the paints stick much better and nullify a lot of the beading people see when painting bones. They are still hydrophobic, but much less so when you clean them off properly.